


Safe in My Territory

by Nabaat68



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Ghouls, M/M, teacher
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-04-26
Updated: 2014-05-20
Packaged: 2018-01-20 19:36:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1523084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nabaat68/pseuds/Nabaat68
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everything was supposed to be over. It was supposed to be safe. Then a boy sets himself on fire and days later Dean turns up again. Somehow, the five year gap just wasn't long enough.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Very few groups of people can pull off a look of boredom quite like a class full of teenagers on a Thursday afternoon. I swear one of them was five minutes away from falling asleep and face planting their desk… It would be a record, this was only the third class I’d taught so far.

“So, to sum up,” I raised my voice as I paced back and forth in front of them, ”What do we think are the main instigating reasons of Iago’s motivation to disrupt and ultimately destroy Othello’s life?”

I stared at the sprogs (as I fondly think of them) and waited for one to attempt an answer.

Eventually a hand in the second row went up, looking at its owner I sighed.

“Yes, Aster?” I gestured him to answer.

“Cause he’s a dick?” the sarcastic little twat grinned.

The class tittered and I couldn’t help letting out a small laugh of my own.

“Okay, and why is he a dick?” I grinned back. The titters turned to muffled gasps, I could practically hear the thoughts in their heads.

_‘Oh my God! The new teacher swears!’_

_‘Holy shit, what’ll he do next?’_

I’m friggin twenty three, I’d be swearing more than them if I thought I could get away with it.

Aster who fit the mold of ‘jock but smart’ seemed pleased and continued.

“He’s sitting around complaining to the only guy who’ll listen and gone on about the same thing for, like, three pages. It’s pathetic.” he shrugged.

I nodded. Finally, we were about halfway to getting a sensible point here. My enthusiasm began to show, hands moving of their own accord.

“Think about it from his point of view. You stick with the guy through a war and do everything he asks you, when a great job comes up and he decides who gets it. Boom. He picks the other guy!”

I let the point hang for a second and caught a few of the still awake souls nodding.

“Tell me, how would that make you feel?”

“Mad.” a voice suggested.

“Betrayed.”

“Pissed off?” a brave voice added.

“Good.” I said. Finally they were starting to contribute, I could get this class to work.

“Cheated.” Aster said.

“Cheated how?” I tilted my head.

“He broke the bro code.” He nodded.

I smiled while some of the other students giggled.

“Well, he didn’t leave him for a woman, yet.” I conceded.

“Nah, not the girl, Desdorelle-“

“Desdemona.” I corrected.

“Yea, her. It’s not about her. He should’ve spoken to him not, not just assumed he didn’t deserve it. I wouldn’t have gone all off the rails like he did though. That’s almost like…” I could see the wheels turning, so close.

“Like?”

“Like he’s gay for him.” he said, seeming confused by his own logic.

The majority of the class began to full on laugh and my grin widened.

“Surprisingly Aster, that is actually a legitimate point. Many literary critics have given credence to the idea that Iago’s obsession has sexual interest embedded in it. Hence the maliciousness of his actions,” I raised an eyebrow, “In other words, love can turn violent very quickly.”

I shut my copy of Othello and started walking through the class.

“But, we’ll leave the theories like that until we reach the essay stage,” I spotted a kid at the back on his phone and made a beeline for him, “When it gets to that point, believe me you’ll all have different ideas about the play.”

I zeroed in on the boy and deftly plucked the phone from his hand.

“Hey!” he squealed trying to grab it back.

“Oh, I don’t think so. Just be glad you’re not getting detention,” I looked at the text he’d been about to send, “Oh my God.”

I couldn’t help the cackle that came out, some of the kids looked a little scared.

“This is shockingly filthy, but good use of imagery. I particularly like the simile you used for her legs.”

Now the rest of the class was laughing to.

“I’ll let you off this once cause I think that’s enough humiliation for now, but that better be the last text you send in my class.” I handed him back the phone.

“Yes sir.” He mumbled looking like a ketchup bottle.

Feeling elated at giving my first scolding to a student I glanced at the clock, ten minutes left.

“Alright let’s shelve any more discussions until tomorrow and I’ll let you guys start reading the next scene,” I spoke louder to be heard over their groans, “Be grateful, this saves you having to do it tonight.”

I sat at my desk as the sound of rustling of books and whispered conversations took over. I couldn’t believe I’d gotten my dream job, I doubt many people would consider high school English teacher a dream job but for me it was just that.

I rested my head on a hand and looked out the window, the town was just visible over the mini-forest between it and the school, Burnbank High was a strange place. The original school had been part of the town but as the population grew it just couldn’t handle all the kids. So they built this place just past the forest. Made the traffic hell every morning, since there was only the one road in and out. That aside, the place was completely and utterly boring. As of late nothing interesting had happened and if I had my way things would stay like that for the rest of my life. I closed my eyes.

_Blood, me screaming, him yelling, a knife._

I snapped them open.

Not going anywhere near that. I glanced at the clock on my computer. Five minutes to go. The class, were all reading or thinking I didn’t notice them talking but another sound began to catch my attention. It was very quiet and coming from the hallway. Muffled, but it sounded like crying. No, not crying. Sobbing. And it was getting closer.

I saw a few of the kids look up from their books and glance at the door. It was probably a student who’s just been dumped. That would sting this early in the year. But as the sobbing got closer I couldn’t help but think there was something off. I eyed the door and saw a figure limp past. It looked like a boy. I’d guess he was a senior. Well, now I’d seen him I couldn’t ignore it.

“Guys, just keep reading until I get back.” I said moving towards the door.

“Mr. White, what if the bell goes?” a girl asked.

“Then pack up and leave, you know what to we’re doing tomorrow.” I left the classroom.

The boy was only a few paces away. He was big, probably on the football team and seemed to be carrying something in front of him.

“Are you alright?” I asked.

The boy halted, still shuddering and sobbing.

“What’s wrong?” I was starting to worry.

He began to slowly turn towards me. My eyes widened. He was a mess, from the back you couldn’t see it but his front was ripped and bloody, he had claw marks on his face too and blood dripping down onto the rest of him and the floor. How had I not seen that?

“I lost.” he sobbed staring at me.

It was horrible, he looked like his front had been shoved into a cheese grater and yanked against it a few times. He was soaking wet too, had he been in the pool? I had to call someone, I wasn’t even a first aider. But all I could do was speak and stare back.

“L-lost what?” I whispered.

“Everything!” he cried. Hauling his hands up in despair, I saw what he was holding in them.

A petrol can.

And a lighter.

He flicked it alight, still staring at me with empty eyes.

“Don’t!” I ran towards him.

I wasn’t fast enough.

The force of the flame shoved me back a bit and the boy began to yell incoherently, flailing from side to side. I backed up.

“Oh God.”

“Eelp e!!!” the flaming boy screamed running at me, “Eelp eee!”

He fell before he got to me and didn’t move again. I was in shock, the flames still burned. I could see bits of his hair shriveling as he died, his skin had gaps in it. I think- I think I could see bone.

I stumbled back further, it was silent now, where was everybody?

“H-help!” I yelled, “Please help!”

The ringing of a bell drowned me out. Shit.

All at once classroom doors opened and bodies piled into the hallway. Then the screaming really started.

Other teachers tried to take control. My legs thawed and I rushed to the wall and grabbed the fire extinguisher. I sprayed it on the boy, the flames died, but so had he.

The kids were corralled back into classrooms, I heard someone talk about getting an ambulance. It wouldn’t help. Not now.

I was grabbed and flinched. “Shhh.” the strong grip comforted me, “Ellis, what happened?”

Mrs. Hale, Jennifer was talking to me.

“I- I don’t know he just…” I shook my head.

“Why?” she whispered.

I shut my eyes, the boys last moments playing back.

_“I lost._ ”

“He said he lost.” I looked at her, the normally pretty face skewed in horror.

“What could he lose that would drive him to this?”

“The Ambulance is on its way, the police too. We’ll keep the kids inside for now.” the headmaster bellowed before closing in on me.

He was rubbing his huge mustache, probably trying to keep the smell out. Burnt meat and clothes, only so much worse.

“How much did you see of what happened here, Mr. White?” he questioned standing far too close.

I looked between him and Jennifer and blinked slowly, the boy’s face still there.

“Everything.”


	2. Chapter 2

“No I don’t want to give you a bloody interview now sod off and leave me alone!” I yelled.

I aggressively jabbed the end call button on my iPhone but it just didn’t cut it. Looking around my kitchen I saw a small plate I’d never really cared for… That’d do.

I hurled it against the wall huffing in satisfaction as it was smashed into oblivion. Three days after that poor boy, I’d been told his name was Jasper Carr, killed himself and journalists wouldn’t stop ringing me. Bloody vultures trying to make a quick buck off of other people’s tragedy.

I put the phone down and collapsed into a chair, flopping my torso onto the dining table. Fuck the journalists, may they all burn in hell.

In hindsight smashing a plate wasn’t the healthiest way to deal with anger, and now I had a mess to clean up. I turned my head to the side, the cool wood of the table helping to calm me down and sighed. They’d made me take Friday off, I wasn’t surprised, if anything I was grateful. I could avoid the stares for a day but only one. I’d all but yelled at Mr. Hans, the headmaster that I’d be back on Monday. I’ll face the stares head on and dare anyone to try and bring it up, just like last time.

I sighed again, surprisingly last night’s sleep hadn’t been the most peaceful and my table was feeling quite comfortable at the moment. My eyes closed and I lay in a stupor for a few moments before Blinded by Light began blaring from my phone.

 _Right_ , I thought. Throwing my hand out and feeling around before grabbing the phone.

“You want a statement? Here’s a statement, I shall eviscerate you if you call this number again and cut you into more pieces than there are trees in the woods!” I made to disconnect when a familiar voice spoke.

“Wait, wait, wait! Ellis, it’s me!” Jennifer yelled.

“Oh, sorry Jen. Journalists have been on at me all weekend.”

“It’s fine, nice threat by the way.” I could hear the smirk in her voice.

“Well, I was torn between that one or the one about my dad owning a sawed off shotgun.” I grinned slightly for the first time all weekend.

My dad was a great hunter, I’d never seen the appeal but if nothing else it was always handy knowing how to shoot a gun.

She laughed, “Save that for the next one, it was just your bad luck that they spotted you talking to the cops.”

“By cops do you mean Frank and Izzard? One having the IQ of a cucumber and the other being almost legally blind?” I laughed.

“I’ll admit they aren’t the sharpest pair but Grant isn’t bad.”

“Grant is a moody bastard, and he’s never liked me.” I frowned, bloody attractive douche.

“He isn’t that bad. But anyway there was a reason I called,” her voice softened, “the incident on Thursday. Turns out there was another death which was awfully similar.”

There was a pause, I could hear her soft breaths down the phone.

“What?” I said quietly.

“A homeless guy did the same thing last week, round the back of a KFC. No one was around, the only reason people found out was because the joint had CCTV.” there was almost a sense of excitement in her tone.

“Holy shit.”

“Yea, Marie told me. She heard it from Frank after he’d had one too many to drink in town. Can you believe it?”

“No.”

“I know right? What do you think happened? I mean-”

“Jen, I gotta let you go.” I cut her off and hung up.

Two deaths, in two weeks. That was not good.

On autopilot I moved to the cupboard and grabbed a dustpan.

Rational people don’t go around setting themselves on fire, and I couldn’t get that look Jasper had had in his eyes out of my head. Like he didn’t have any say in the matter of his existence.

I scooped the pieces of the plate up.

Maybe I should try and get to the bottom of this myself? We were a small-ish town and somehow I didn’t doubt our three man police department plus two receptionists would take these deaths at anything other than face value and write them off as suicides.

I dumped the pieces of the plate in the bin and looked up, straight at the picture hanging on the wall.

I hadn’t looked at it in a while, not properly anyway. It was a fairly innocent picture. Two boys, arms round each other’s shoulders, drinks in hand and lopsided grins suggesting they weren’t the first of the night.

One was me, brown hair like the shell of a roasted chestnut down to my shoulders, curling at the ends. I brushed my hair out of habit, it was shorter now, barely reaching the nape of my neck and shoved up and back with a liberal amount of hair goop. My big mouth was open wide in a yell/smile I’m sure I thought was attractive at the time and my brown eyes were sparkling. It was nice. I was happy.

Hairdo aside I hadn’t changed much in five years. The boy next to me, his wild blonde hair, squinty blue eyes and muscular frame looked very different now. Being in bits in a box in the ground for half a decade’ll do that to you.

No. I am not getting involved. It only leads to bad things.

I stomped from the kitchen to the living room and grabbed my copy of Othello from the coffee table along with a notepad. I’d get those bloody kids into the play if it killed me. And nothing else.

* * *

 

 

“So. Long story short they sail off to Venice with Roderigo in tow and very bad things are going to happen.”

I swiveled back to the class who weren’t hanging off my every word quite like I’d hoped and soldiered on. After all the pitying and curious looks shot my way in the staff room this morning I felt I would go nuts if I wasn’t doing something.

“Any questions?” I looked around.

A hand shot up.

“Yes Miranda?”

The girl leaned forward slightly, pausing before she spoke.

“Is it true you saw what happened to Jasper Carr last week?”

I tensed.

The class tensed back.

“That isn’t important right now.” I tried to shoot the question down when another voice shot up.

“But Sir! My big sister heard from her friend who works with Officer Izzard that you spoke to him before he lit himself up.”

“Do not talk about it like that!” I yelled at the boy, satisfied when he cringed.

“Please Sir,” a third voice chirped, “If you tell us it’ll put all the other rumors to rest.”

“What rumors?” I snapped.

“That he was dumped and couldn’t handle it.”

“Or he came home to find his parents hated him and thought he was better off dead.”

I shook my head in disbelief.

Aster joined in next, “I heard he lost a game with Death and had to kill himself.” he shrugged.

“Oh for God’s sake, enough.” I waited for complete silence before speaking, “Jasper Carr was clearly a severely troubled boy who didn’t get the help he needed. Yes I saw what happened and yes it was terrible and that is the last we are going to talk about it.”

Now they were hanging off my every word. Typical.

“Any other questions?”

Most of the class put their hands up.

“Any other questions that don’t involve Jasper Carr?” I amended.

All hands went down. I sighed.

The bell’s shrill ringing finished the lesson before they finished my patience.

“Right. Get going, and if I hear one more question about Jasper Carr on Wednesday the bugger who brought it up will have detention until the end of the year. Am I clear?” I stared at as many faces as possible.

“Yes Sir.” They chorused back and surged towards the door.

They cleared out and I began sorting the papers on my desk, it’d only been a week. How could they already be this messy?

Jennifer came in and knocked on the open door. “Hey El, I know you’re busy but-”

“Look Jen. If this is about yesterday I’m sorry, you just caught me by surprise is all. I promise I’ll talk to you about it later okay?” I said, turning back to the papers.

She came in a bit more looking just pitying enough that it made my heckles rise.

“It’s not about that. You see there are some men here who want to talk with you. FBI agents.” She clarified pointing towards the doorway.

“Oh,” my eyes widened.

What had happened was terrible but it didn’t seem shocking enough to value federal attention. Maybe they were just passing through.

“Uh, fine. Tell them to come in.” I nodded.

She walked back outside and I tilted my head down and took a deep breath.

_You can do this, you can do this._

I saw two pairs of black shoes in the doorway and looked up.

One was tall, really tall. With a mane of dark hair to his chin and a broad frame, he already had the professional sympathetic look on but oddly enough it seemed genuine. I took an instant liking to him.

The other… Shit. Short spiky hair, slightly almost fragile facial features and a shorter but still muscular build. Five years. Five years and aside from a grumpier look and a better suit he hadn’t changed at all.

I didn’t know what to think. First I was shocked, then angry, then confused, then back to shocked. All in the span of a few seconds.

They approached and the tall one spoke in a friendly tone.

“Good afternoon Mr. White. Sorry to take up your time, I am agent Banner and this is-”

“Winchester, Dean Winchester.” I said. Not taking my eyes off him.

Their demeanor changed instantly. Both tensed and hands immediately went towards their jackets.

“I never expected to see you again.” my voice had gone hollow. I could practically feel memories of that night surging up in his presence.

“You- you know me?” he said. Watching my like a hawk. His voice was deeper, rougher. Guess the last five years hadn’t been fun.

“Only slightly,” my sarcasm was back, “I take it you don’t remember me?”

I tilted my head.

His blank look was enough.

“Huh. Well, I think I’m offended.”

The tall one was looking between us in confusion. At least he wasn’t reaching for whatever was in his jacket anymore.

“You’re Sam right? The lawyer?” I asked.

That got his attention, if his eyebrows went any higher they’d attach to his hairline.

“Uhh… Well not anymore.” he said slowly.

“How do you know my brother? How the hell do you know me!?” Dean was getting mad.

“You told me your brother was studying law at Stanford,” I told him, “You told me that five years ago. The night you saved my life.”

I turned my back on them and carried on fixing my papers, that way they couldn’t see my hands shake.

“The same night you also killed my boyfriend.”


	3. Chapter 3

Well, that brought up the tension a few notches. Not the best way to bring it up but after being harassed all weekend I had run out of politeness.

“I should explain.” I didn’t turn around but carried on speaking.

“It… It looked like him but was trying to eat me so I guess it wasn’t.” I laughed; it was either that or start crying, “You shot it in the head. Made one hell of a mess.” I trailed off blinking slowly.

“I-I don’t remember that.” Dean said.

I turned around, Sam was looking at Dean while Dean just looked confused.

“Oh well,” I sighed, “I’m not too surprised. You guys do this for a living, you’ve probably met hundreds of people. I’m just one of many.”

Sam actually looked a little guilty, why? He hadn’t been there. It was a nice human response if nothing else. Dean still looked confused, guess he really didn’t remember.

“Anyway,” I moved away and leaned against one of the kid’s desks, their eyes following me all time, “You’re not here for a reunion. You’re here about Jasper Carr, my students have been harassing me about it as well.”

“It’s something new, kids are drawn to that.” Sam said moving a little closer.

I nodded, “Well the theories are piling up, dumped by a girl, uncaring parents, lost a game with Death.” I counted them off on my hand.

They tensed on the last one. I looked between them, unbelieving.

“Death? Seriously, he’s real too?”

“Oh yea, very real.” Dean nodded.

I laughed again, “Well, I expect the Grim Reaper has more important things to do then run around the town of Burnbank playing games with high school seniors and homeless guys.”

“Homeless guys?” Sam asked, frowning.

“Yea. Don’t you know?” I looked at both of them, surely if they were here they’d found out about the other death.

“About what?” Dean came closer, standing next to Sam and giving me the same frown.

Wow. And these were the professionals.

“My friend Jennifer, the woman who let you in, she rang me at the weekend and told me the police had found a body before Jasper… Did what he did.”

“When?” Dean folded his arms.

“Last week,” I shrugged, “A homeless guy did the same thing round the back of a KFC. The security cameras caught it all.”

And I was so grateful I’d never have to watch that footage.

“Shouldn’t you guys already know this stuff?” I tilted my head.

Sam looked guilty again, Dean looked confused. I think a pattern was starting to emerge.

“It ain’t out fault this midget town’s got nowhere to stay. We spent all day looking and got nothing.”

“We’re a little behind. It’s hard getting stuff down without a base.” Sam trailed off.

I looked between the both of them. _I am not getting involved. I am not getting involved._

“I’m sure you can figure something out,” I moved back to my papers, “Anything else I can help you with?”

They were quiet for a moment. “No. Sorry to take up your time Mr. White.” Sam nodded and he and Dean made towards the doors.

I followed. “Just,” Dean turned back from the doorway, “Call us if you think of anything useful. Even if it’s one of the kid’s stupid rumours.” he smirked, handing me a business card.

“Sure.” I bit out. He smirked like that just before he ran off last time. Guess everything hadn’t changed after all.

They walked out and I shut the door behind them before turning and leaning against it. My head fell back to bump against the wood gently and I waited to hear their footsteps go down the hall. They didn’t, instead they were standing there and… Talking?

I’m not normally nosey but this wasn’t even approaching a normal situation. I turned and jammed my ear against the door trying to make out what they said.

“…id, No I don’t remember Sammy. Musta been while you were off playing Lawyer.” Dean snapped.

“It wasn’t playing Dean it was hard.” Sam snapped back, “And whatever you did do left an impression, did you see how tense he got the second he saw you?”

Guess I was the subject de jour. I leaned against the door even harder.

“Well, ‘Mr. Hard-ass’ aside we still got a lead. KFC homeless fry up.” he chuckled.

“We’ll check in on that tomorrow. We still gotta find a place to stay.”

“We do Sammy, in bab-”

“The car doesn’t have Wi-Fi Dean.” I could practically hear the glare.

“Alright Samantha, what do you suggest?” he asked.

I think I heard a sigh.

“We try and find a place, even if it’s in the next town over, to hole up. Then tomorrow you go and look at the footage of the homeless guy and I’ll come back here and try White again.”

I definitely heard a scoff.

“The first two I get but why go see him again?”

“He might talk more around me. He doesn’t like you very much.” he sounded amused by that fact.

“Everybody likes me, bitch.” He said smugly.

It wasn’t that I didn’t like him. He’d just… it was complicated.

“Right. Jerk.” Sam retorted. I heard them begin to walk away.

“S’gonna be a pain working from the next town over. It’s like what? Half an hour away?” Dean almost sounded whiney. It made me want to laugh.

“We’ll figure something out.” Sam said. He sounded tired now.

An idea came to mind… _Don’t do it! Don’t do it!_

I scrunched up my face and took a deep breath. _Fuck it._

I yanked the classroom door open and all but ran out. “Wait a second!” I called.

They turned back, looking surprised.

“Yes, Mr. White?” Sam asked.

I walked up to them. Why was it the second I left the classroom any remnant of courage decided to disappear? I rubbed the back of my neck and I got near them.

“Call me Ellis.” I tried to smile.

Sam smiled back, it must’ve worked.

“Okay, Ellis. What is it?”

“I heard you guys need a place to stay while you,” I fumbled for the right words, English teachers don’t do that often, “do what you do. I have two spare rooms at my house if you want them.” I finished quickly and took a step back. I was regretting this already.

Dean looked suspicious.

“Why?” I sighed.

“Well, regardless of how I feel you both do good work. If putting you up helps then you’re welcome to my home. Plus if nothing else you did save my life once. I kinda owe ya.” I shrugged.

He seemed to consider this for a moment.

“Go back in you room for a sec.” he said.

Seriously?

“Are you sending me to my room?” I asked incredulously.

“No, your classroom.” He grinned.

Smartass.

“Fine.” I huffed, all but stomping back and just about managing not to slam the door.

I sat on my desk and looked out the window. The forest had an oddly calming effect on me. I took a few deep breaths and gazed into it. A few moments later someone came to the forests edge. I could barely see them. In jeans with a big grey hoodie, their face hidden by it. Whoever they were, they made my throat dry. I tried to swallow and ignore these, feelings of unease. They were throwing something and catching it again and again. I leaned closer to the window. Both scared and entranced. They stopped throwing.

The head jerked up and looked straight at me, the face just a black hole made by the gaping hood. They brought a hand up and slowly waved at me wriggling their fingers, then stopped. The hand held up three fingers and moved up and down for emphasis. My face was practically pressed against the glass, breaths coming quick.

“Okay decided.” Dean burst in making me jump.

I snapped my head to him gasping for breath a little. His playful expression went dark instantly.

“What due see Teach?” he ran up to the window and stared out.

I looked back. They were gone. The forest edge was empty. I shivered slightly.

“N-nothing. Just me being silly.” I looked to Sam who had just entered, “What have you decided?”

“We’d like to stay with you, please.” Sam said.

Wonderful. A part of me had hoped they’d decline the offer.

“Alright then.” I looked back out the window. Just a forest. No creepy things in hoodies waving at me. “We’d best be off. I’ll drive and both of you can follow in your car,” I walked quickly.

Whatever that was it had given me the creeps. Sam caught up to me and put a hand on my shoulder.

“Ah, how about I go with you and Dean can take our car?”

Dean looked outraged and his chin was about to hit the floor. I couldn’t help raise an eyebrow but it didn’t matter to me. The sooner we left the better.

“Sure.” I strode out of the room and gestured them out, locking it behind me.

We all exited to the car park and I said goodbye to a very confused Jennifer who didn’t understand why I was leaving with the agents.

“Are you dating one of them?” she whispered as we hugged goodbye.

“No I am not.” I whispered viciously, pulling back and giving her a look. It was enough to keep her quiet for now.

“That’s my car,” I pointed at a blue Audi TT parked in the staff area, “I hope you fit.”

I eyed Sam, he was very tall. And my car wasn’t exactly huge.He just shrugged and began walking towards it.

“I’ll make do. See ya there Dean.” he called back.

I grabbed my keys from my pocket and watched Dean head towards a big shiny black car. It looked… loud.

“It’ll be hard to lose us, the town isn’t big.” was my parting shot.

He nodded back and slammed the door.

I unlocked the car and slide in. Sam managed, after some difficulty, including hitting his head on the door frame.

“You okay?”

“Yea, I’m fine.” he rubbed his head.

I reversed out and turned onto the forest road, Dean a few cars behind us. We drove in silence for a few minutes and then the questions began.

“So, you’ve met Dean before?”

“Yep.” I said tightly, focusing on the road.

“Do you, wanna talk about it?”

“Nope.”

He took the hint.

I felt a little guilty for stonewalling the guy but it was a very touchy subject. I tried to relax and start a different conversation.

“You’ll like my house.” was the first thing that came to mind.

“Oh?” he sounded surprised.

It was a bit of leap but I felt so much better talking about something I loved.

“Yep,” I launched into the topic, “It’s just on the far side of the forest. Two stories, three bedrooms, bathroom and the kitchen is right at the back. There’s a French door in there and you literally take three steps out of it and you’re in the forest.” I smiled.

My home was something I’d gotten thanks to a lot of work and a little luck. The luck in this case being a scratch-card bought through a combination of alcohol induced confidence and wanting to prove an asshole wrong. I’ll never forget the look on Grants face when he found out I’d won.

Lucky winnings coupled with three years of savings gave me enough money for my dream house and enough stashed away for a holiday in Florida. By Florida I meant Disneyland not that I’d admit that’s where I want to go but the dream's alive all the same.

“Sounds nice.” Sam said.

I think I caught him nodding from the corner of my eye. His tone sounded lazy and content, like he was already sitting in my beautiful kitchen.

“Yea.” I sighed.

He carried on speaking in that same aloof voice.

“So what did you see out of your window Ellis?”

Crap. The guy was good at timing questions, right when I was feeling better too.

I turned left at the crossroads halfway through the forest and sighed. Seemed I was doing that a lot lately.

“Why are you and Dean so stuck on that?”

“Why don’t you want to tell me?”

“Why are you answering my questions with questions?” I snarked.

“Why are you avoiding this?” he snarked back.

“And now we have reached the mental age of nine year olds.” I groaned, leaning back in my seat.

Sam chuckled and rubbed his chin with a hand.

“Not to keep the childish thing going but, you started it.”

That got me laughing too and the tension was gone. I quickly glanced at him, still grinning before explaining.

“I know you guys look for, umm… spooky stuff and what I saw freaked me out but I know it’s nothing and didn’t want to worry you.”

“You know, most of the time the ‘spooky stuff’ looks pretty normal. Just give me the bare details and we’ll both know everything’s fine. Kay?”

I hate it when people confront me with logic. I much prefer catering to my own slightly off-kilter reasoning.

“Basically while you were both talking I looked out the window and saw,” I paused, “It must have been a kid from school.”

“Who was it?”

"No idea, they were in a big hoodie, it covered their face,” admittedly the hoodie seemed to do far too good a job at covering the face to be normal but… “Anyway, they were throwing and catching something.”

“What?” “I don’t know. I couldn’t see what it was.” I glanced at him and smirked again.

“Do you always interrupt this much?”

He ducked his head a bit and barked out a laugh.

“Sorry. Carry on.”

“Out of nowhere the guy snaps his head around so he’s looking right at me and, it was creepy you know? Like he knew exactly where I was without even looking around.”

I shrugged and turned off the road, now on the lane to my house. I took a hand off the wheel and held up three fingers, wriggled them and grabbed the wheel again.

“And then he did that. I don’t know, it was just strange and I’ve had a little experience with strange which didn’t end well so I guess it freaked me out more than it should have.”

We were pulling up to my house now. The brown bricks, picket fence and small veggie garden were a familiar and calming sight. I turned off the engine and turned in the seat, Sam was frowning in thought.

“Does the number three have any significance to you at all?” he asked.

“Umm, I’ve got three siblings?” I half asked half answered, “That what you’re looking for?”

“No.” he shook his head a bit, “You know what, you’re right. It’s probably nothing.”

We got out of the car just as Dean pulled up. I was wrong about his car though, it purred and wasn’t too loud. He got out and whistled. “Nice place Teach.” he nodded.

I beamed in response, my home was kinda my baby.

“I think so. Follow me.”

The brothers began muttering behind me and getting stuff from their car but I ignored it and struggled to grab my house key from my other pocket with an armful of binders and summaries of Othello, Act 1, Scene 1 the kids had done for homework. I really needed to put all my keys together at some point.

After a small amount of hopping about and grunting I yanked the house key from my pocket and opened the door, yelling behind me for them to wipe their feet before coming in.

I moved from the hallway into the living room and dumped the work on the coffee table, stretching back and taking in the automatic sense of relief that being at home can give. I heard the boys come in behind me and turned. They were carrying a large duffle bag each over their shoulders and were both looking around and taking in my home. I couldn’t help but grin, I rarely had guests. My family didn’t really count.

“This way guys.”

I moved past them and up the wide staircase onto the upstairs hallway. At the end of it was my room, the bathroom was just before that and to the immediate left and right just past the staircase were the two spare rooms.

I opened the door on the left to a room painted cream and brown with a wooden desk, double bed and wardrobe. Some paintings hung from the walls, landscapes of New York my sister had done. Having an artist in the family did have its perks.

“Sam, this is your room.” I gestured him in. He walked past me and dropped his duffle on the bed, looking out of the window to the view of the woods with the town just past it. He nodded in satisfaction.

“It’s really nice. Thank you.” he smiled at me.

I nodded back and moved across the hallway opening the opposite door. Like the other room it was cream and brown with wooden furniture (yea I had a theme) but instead of paintings guns were hanging from the walls in this one. Dean looked around and threw his duffel on the bed.

“Hey, nice guns. Where’d you get them?” he examined the one above the bed.

“They’re some of my dad’s old ones. He loves hunting and collecting these things. His house got a little full so he gave some to me.”

I stepped in the room and looked around, spotting the gun hanging on the wall by the door I started to laugh.

“What?” Dean asked looking from the wall to me and back again.

“I just remembered,” I pointed to the gun, “This one, it’s an old Winchester rifle.”

I looked back at Dean who frowned at the gun. “Any of these still work?” he asked getting closer to the rifle.

“All of them, Dad never bought anything he couldn’t fire. The bathroom is the next door along if you or Sam want to freshen up.”

I left the room and called to them both.

“I’ll start in dinner, you guys settle in.”

“What’re you making?” Sam called back.

“Salmon with rice and vegetables!” I called back.

I heard Dean groan and Sam yelled at him to be grateful. I couldn’t resist a little dig.

“And if you eat all your veggies I have pie for desert!”

I was at the bottom of the stairs before I heard Dean yell.

“Dude, you’re awesome!”

I smiled all the way to the kitchen. Maybe having the Winchesters as guests wouldn’t be so bad after all.


End file.
